GORMAN, Michael (1837-1928), an important regional architect in northeastern Ontario who was '...very well-known throughout the Ottawa Valley, having planned and constructed a great many buildings from Ottawa to Sudbury' (Standard-Observer [Pembroke], 29 March 1928, 13). Born in Pakenham, Ont. on 5 May 1837, Gorman moved to Pembroke in 1864 where he was active at first as a builder, and after 1870 as an architect. His most important commission there was the Town Hall (1884), a formally composed Italianate design with a projecting clock tower wrapped in elaborate brick detailing. This landmark still stands (2009) but inexplicably was omitted from the publication entitled Town Halls of Canada (pub. Parks Canada 1987), a standard reference work on the subject of civic buildings in this country. Gorman also served in local government as a town councillor for ten years, and as a member of the Pembroke Separate School Board for seventeen years. He died in Pembroke on 28 March 1928 (obituary in The Standard-Observer [Pembroke], 29 March 1928, 13; OA, Renfrew County Wills No. 3394; inf. Bruce Pappin, Pembroke)
PEMBROKE, ONT., Roman Catholic Separate School, Moffat Street at Isabella Street, 1875; demol. c. 1955 (J.G. Hodgins, Schools & Colleges of Ontario 1792-1910, ii, 167)
PEMBROKE, ONT., Town Hall, Renfrew Street at Victoria Street, 1884 (inf. Bruce Pappin, Pembroke)
PEMBROKE, ONT., residence for the architect, Maple Avenue at Alfred Street, c. 1885 (inf. Bruce Pappin, Pembroke)
PEMBROKE TOWNSHIP, public school for S.S. No. 3, 1887 (Pembroke Observer, 3 Feb. 1888, 1, descript.)
PETAWAWA, ONT., rectory for the Anglican Church, 1889 (Pembroke Observer, 21 June 1889, 4, t.c.)
BEACHBURG, ONT., Methodist Church, 1890 (Pembroke Observer, 4 April 1890, 4, t.c.)
CHALK RIVER, ONT., public school for S.S. No. 3, Buchanan & Wylie Township, 1894 (Pembroke Observer, 2 March 1894, 5, t.c.; C.R., v, 8 March 1894, 1)
LAPASSE, ONT., school house, 1895 (C.R., v, 3 Jan. 1895, 1, t.c.)
BONFIELD, ONT., Roman Catholic refectory, 1896 (C.R., vii, 23 July 1896, 1)
WESTMEATH, ONT., a stone church, 1898 (C.R., ix, 20 April 1898, 2, t.c.)
PEMBROKE, ONT., major addition to Mackey House, 1899 (C.R., x, 19 April 1899, 6)
ALICE TOWNSHIP, ONT., Lutheran Church, 1901 (C.R., xii, 13 Feb. 1901, 2)
WESTMEATH, ONT., residence for Dr. Graham, 1901 (C.R., xii, 15 May 1901, 2)
PEMBROKE, ONT., additions and alterations to the former Quebec Bank, Pembroke Street West, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 9 April 1902, 2, t.c.)